The Rat Race

[Cammalu]

I loved working and not because anyone told me that was what I should do. Some people are born couch potatoes and wouldn't like anything that takes them more than a few feet from the couch and fridge. If that's what they like then more power to them. I certainly don't try to tell them they are brainwashed drones.

I am disabled and no longer work a regular job but I'm still not twiddling my thumbs. I am happiest when I have some kind of goal I can complete even if it's cutting grass.

I loved working!

 

[Silver]

@ my age I love staying @ home.
Watching videos & playing video games.
Reading.
I'd like to take 2 yrs off from working & find myself

 

[gcal]

@ my age I love staying @ home.
Watching videos & playing video games.
Reading.
I'd like to take 2 yrs off from working & find myself

Not sure what your age is. What do you think you are going to find by sitting on the couch watching videos or playing games or reading books  for 2 years? Do you think that you will find anything you don't already know?

 

[mockturtle]

There are many jobs that don't offer a lot of personal engagement or satisfaction and I applaud those who feel that a paycheck is enough to keep them employed at work that benefits us all.

 

[debit.servus]

Couldn't you be more of a minimalist by living on a piece of land instead of a van or car?

Option 1
Buy land 
Make a house out of 3 ft thick spray foam and call it a day.
You wouldn't need air conditioning or heating
You wouldn't need a car or gas or oil , trannee fluid , steering fluid , antifreeze 

Option 2 van/ cardwelling
Buy van 
Insulate it 2 " thick
Buy buddy heaters & propane
Buy auxiliary battery's
Buy all the fluids for the van.
Constant parts and maintainance
Unessary driving to dump trash/pee.
Unessary driving to parking spot were you wont get hassled.

It comes down to what kind of life one desires, perpetually travelling or being a desert hermit? Option 1 is strictly for desert hermits, Option 2 is for anyone who desires the option to MOVE!

The way "Option 2 van/ cardwelling" reads, it sounds like anti-car/anti-freedom spiel. Not to critisize/bash you're post, just pointing out what it read to me.

... I really don't see how owning land can be cheaper than living in a vehicle.  highdesertranger

Same here.

The more stuff one has the more overhead to pay for. I am an adherant to the Law of Dimishing Returns, living within a certain range sees the most returns. Have more than x units of stuff, at some point each additional unit sees less return; have less units of stuff, at some point each subtracted unit sees less return. For one or two people, I found an extended high-top van is a great balance between space, mobility, comforts and cost.

 

[GotSmart]

What defines a rat race?  

Is it someone who only wants to hoard cheese?  

I have worked many jobs, and at one time around 100 hours a week.  

The question in my mind is this.  

How can someone take care of their family in a decent way without getting trapped?  By decent I mean housing, food, and medical (and other basic needs) while helping society not destroy itself.

 

[Gary68]

what i tell the youngins around me is "don't go get a job,go create one"

i hate working for someone else but it is unavoidable and most times the easiest way to get some $$$

 

[gcal]

what i tell the youngins around me is "don't go get a job,go create one"

i hate working for someone else but it is unavoidable and most times the easiest way to get some $$$

We had our now business for a while. We were the worse bosses we ever had. Slave drivers! Since we worked from home, the work was always there, in our faces.

 

[sephson]

As much as I love the time I spend on the road, I love my work even more. This is a large part of why I don't hit the road full time. I quite enjoy my little corner of the "Rat Race".

I figured out what I wanted to do for a living at a fairly young age, then found a way to actually earn a decent, though far from spectacular living at it. Many would describe my job as a "dead end", because the only way for me to move up the proverbial ladder is to wait for someone above me to leave or die. The second is the more likely option. That said, I have no desire to move up into (shudder) management. I'm happy where I'm at. There's always some kind of challenge waiting just around the corner and I'm at my happiest when I'm dealing with those challenges.

 

[debit.servus]

Don't block me before you consider the great progress I just made, shared in this post on the conversions and mods thread.

 

[SoulRaven]

What defines a rat race?  

Is it someone who only wants to hoard cheese?  

I have worked many jobs, and at one time around 100 hours a week.  

The question in my mind is this.  

How can someone take care of their family in a decent way without getting trapped?  By decent I mean housing, food, and medical (and other basic needs) while helping society not destroy itself.

For most people I think the answer is probably to find a job that you enjoy, in an area of the country where that job will afford you the lifestyle you desire.

While a select few are capable of starting and running their own businesses, it isn't really for most people because they don't possess  the dedication & determination needed to succeed on their own, or they simply aren't good enough at managing their time.  Being the boss or the owner frequently means putting in more hours than anybody else, and for less pay, for a pretty long time.  Most people simply can't survive the time needed to make a new business successful enough to reap the rewards.

That being said, I think if you can start your own business while keeping your day job, your chances are greatly improved because you have bought the time needed to make your new business a success.

I worked my entire life at jobs I loved.  Not big money by most people's standards, but since my expenses were so low, it was big money for me.  It was plenty to support a house and a family though, even though those were not my choices.

I'm not a mountain climber, nor a cave dweller, or desert dweller.  I'm not a hermit, and prefer to be around others.  Even though at pushing 70 I am officially retired, I still volunteer my time and work 8-12 hours almost every day, because it gives me a sense of purpose and I'm still doing work that I love.

I've never really understood people who choose to be dropouts, but I guess there are quitters in all aspects of life.  For me, I will continue to contribute as long as I am able, and if I can improve the lives of others, then that will be my legacy and I will be both pleased and proud to have done what I could to leave the world a little better place for those who follow after I am gone.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

I was referring to taxes on the land,  money.  if you are going to grow your food you need arable land,  more money.  where is the water for the crops coming from?  out west in most areas you need to buy water rights,  more money.  someone said no fossil fuel,  so that means you are basically stuck unless you bike or horseback ride in and out.  btw owning a horse cost as much or more as a car.  I am not saying owning a piece of land is bad per se,  but you still need transportation.  preferably a vehicle that can haul stuff.  I really don't see how owning land can be cheaper than living in a vehicle.  highdesertranger

you are talking about owning land in the middle of nowhere, what if you lived in a smallish town, in a good climate and grew a large part of what you needed on your town lot, were close enough to a larger city to take a bus or ride a bike if you wanted to, the land was paid for, you were off the grid you were on town water which is included with the taxes. You could walk to your local propane supplier with your tank.

 

[Konaexpress]

you are talking about owning land in the middle of nowhere, what if you lived in a smallish town, in a good climate and grew a large part of what you needed on your town lot, were close enough to a larger city to take a bus or ride a bike if you wanted to, the land was paid for, you were off the grid you were on town water which is included with the taxes. You could walk to your local propane supplier with your tank.

This sounds more like Tiny Home living. If this is what a person wants, go buy a Tough Shed and job done. Nothing wrong with this, nice idea.

John

 

[highdesertranger]

lots of if's in that situations. highdesertranger

 

[Konaexpress]

If you are talking about the tough shed idea, then yea, a bunch of ifs but did not want to go into it and derail the topic too much.

John

 

[highdesertranger]

no I was referring to kurbmasters post #52. highdesertranger

 

[AltTransBikes]

you are talking about owning land in the middle of nowhere, what if you lived in a smallish town, in a good climate and grew a large part of what you needed on your town lot, were close enough to a larger city to take a bus or ride a bike if you wanted to, the land was paid for, you were off the grid you were on town water which is included with the taxes. You could walk to your local propane supplier with your tank.

That's basically what I have done, not in a town but a bit outside of one, property was purchased 20 years ago, it already had the cabin and artesian well. I've slowly improved everything over the years, added gardens, permaculture beds of perennial vegetables, berries and fruit trees. We get 45" annual rainfall so irrigation is not a factor. As I alluded earlier I have about half what a new van would cost into the property and that's long been paid for. Taxes are low, couple hundred a quarter. Any heat we need we use wood from our woodlot.

I build bikes so yes we ride them but I still have the van, just don't use it much on a daily basis.The summer here is gorgeous, it's a destination for many. We like to travel during the cold season, domestically and outside the US. In the US the van is our method of travel.

 

[gcal]

That's basically what I have done, not in a town but a bit outside of one, property was purchased 20 years ago, it already had the cabin and artesian well. I've slowly improved everything over the years, added gardens, permaculture beds of perennial vegetables, berries and fruit trees. We get 45" annual rainfall so irrigation is not a factor. As I alluded earlier I have about half what a new van would cost into the property and that's long been paid for. Taxes are low, couple hundred a quarter. Any heat we need we use wood from our woodlot.

I build bikes so yes we ride them but I still have the van, just don't use it much on a daily basis.The summer here is gorgeous, it's a destination for many. We like to travel during the cold season, domestically and outside the US. In the US the van is our method of travel.

Where is "here?"

 

[rvpopeye]

I was going to say that !
Sounds nice...
Maybe you could host a summer mini RTR ?

 

[flying kurbmaster]

lots of if's in that situations.  highdesertranger

only two if's...very doable, it is amazing how little land you need to grow a lot of stuff, I was reading about this guy in Quebec in the eastern townships along the Vermont border that is growing $150,000.00  worth of organic vegetables, on 2 1/12 acres, his profit margin is 45% not bad and he gets three months off during the winter months and that is not a temperate climate.